Self-developing cameras are currently available for providing instant color photographs with no need for external film processing. The self-developing cameras currently available utilize explosive flash bulbs to illuminate the subject in low ambient light level conditions. These cameras generally contain electronic means to sense the flash intensity and to govern the film exposure time by operably and automatically closing the camera shutter when the film is exposed to a predetermined quantity of light.
When electronic flash units are employed with the aforementioned cameras the automatic light intensity control mechanism becomes inoperative since the flash duration of an electronic flash lamp is too rapid to permit the camera light sensing mechanism to respond. By the time the camera electronic eye senses sufficient light intensity to control the camera shutter mechanism the flash unit has already fired.
The purpose of this invention is to provide means for controlling the amount of light intensity that reaches the film during camera operation when an electronic flash unit is employed.